🔄 Last checked 2 Jul 2026 · details and hours can change — check the venue before you go
If you talk jungle curry in the Bangkok–Nonthaburi area, "Kaeng Pa Loong Sa-Nga" is one of the first names people around Ngamwongwan bring up. The restaurant is tucked into Soi Ngamwongwan 23, known locally as Soi Wat Buakwan, on the Mueang Nonthaburi side. It has been open for more than 25 years and is a genuine family business handed down from father to son — the story of how this house's jungle curry recipe was passed on is interesting enough that the MICHELIN Guide wrote a dedicated "Behind the Bib" article about it. In the 2026 MICHELIN Guide Thailand, the restaurant earned the Bib Gourmand mark, an award for places where the food is genuinely good at prices ordinary people can afford every day — a perfect fit for this restaurant, since a meal here runs just over a hundred baht up to a couple hundred baht per person.
The heart of the restaurant is bold, real central Thai-style jungle curry — fiery hot with no coconut milk to soften it. The dish to order is kaeng pa with grey-featherback fish balls, priced around 120–170 baht: bouncy fish balls in a curry broth thick with chili paste and packed with heat. Anyone wanting to try something more unusual can go for the kaeng pa with venison, priced around 200 baht a plate, a dish that's genuinely hard to find at most restaurants. Beyond the jungle curries, there's also tom yum river catfish at around 230 baht a plate, stir-fried spicy mussels at 170 baht, and a large fried horse mackerel with fish sauce at around 390 baht. It's a great setup for a group meal, ordering dishes to fill the table home-style. The atmosphere is a relaxed shophouse dining room, no need to dress up, with its own car park. A 4.2 rating from more than three hundred real diners confirms the quality has stayed consistent throughout.
There are two things worth knowing before you go. First, the restaurant is closed on the 16th of every month, without fail — a longstanding house tradition. Anyone who drives a long way only to find the doors shut will be disappointed. Second, the location isn't near any rail line. The restaurant sits about 500 meters inside the soi, and it's roughly 3 kilometers from both MRT Khae Rai (Pink Line) and Nonthaburi Civic Center (Purple Line). The easiest way in is to drive yourself or catch a motorbike taxi from the mouth of the soi. For a little extra effort, you get jungle curry made by a family that has kept the recipe going for two generations, at a price MICHELIN itself calls genuinely worth it.
Kaeng Pa Loong Sa-Nga
Budget per person runs around THB 101–250, with most standout dishes in the THB 120–230 range — kaeng pa with grey-featherback fish balls at THB 120–170, kaeng pa with venison at THB 200, tom yum river catfish at THB 230, while the fried horse mackerel with fish sauce is the priciest at around THB 390. It's a walk-in restaurant with no online booking system; if you're coming as a large group, you can call ahead on 02-952-9992. Open daily 10:00–21:00 (some listings say until 22:00), but remember it's closed on the 16th of every month without fail.
Getting there is the main challenge with this restaurant. It sits in Soi Ngamwongwan 23 (Soi Wat Buakwan), about 500 meters in from the mouth of the soi, with no rail line reaching the door. The nearest stations are MRT Khae Rai (Pink Line) and Nonthaburi Civic Center (Purple Line), both about 3 kilometers away. Taking a taxi or motorbike taxi from either station is the most convenient option. Driving yourself is easier still, since the restaurant has its own car park. Go for lunch or an early dinner before dark for the fullest menu and the most comfortable seating.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| MICHELIN award 2026 | 🍽️ Bib Gourmand |
| Cuisine | Central Thai food / Bold jungle curry |
| Approx. price | 101–250/person (Wongnai ฿฿). Sample dish prices: kaeng pa with grey-featherback fish balls THB 120–170, kaeng pa deer THB 200, |
| Booking | Walk-in; phone 02-952-9992 for groups. No online booking (Michelin: manages its own bookings). |
| Hours | Daily 10:00–21:00 (some listings say 22:00); closed on the 16th of every month |
| Neighbourhood | Soi Ngamwongwan 23 / Wat Buakwan area, Bang Kraso–Bang Khen, Mueang Nonthaburi |
| Dress code | casual |
Queue-savvy tips
Local sit-down shophouse; no reservation platform exists. · No rail access — restaurant sits ~500 m inside Soi Ngamwongwan 23 (Soi Wat Buakwan), roughly 3 km from both MRT Khae Rai (Pink) and Nonthaburi Civic Center (Purple); take a taxi/motorbike from either. Has its own car park. Remember the monthly closure on the 16th.
Stay nearby and walk or ride over easily
See all 44 Bib Gourmand restaurants in Bangkok, with Thai names, prices, and neighbourhoods
🍽️ 44 Bib Gourmand restaurants in Bangkok